U.S. patent application number 09/943041 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-06 for system and method for aiding consumer grocery product purchase decisions.
Invention is credited to Orozco, Genaro Antonio Fernandez.
Application Number | 20030046188 09/943041 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25479002 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030046188 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Orozco, Genaro Antonio
Fernandez |
March 6, 2003 |
System and method for aiding consumer grocery product purchase
decisions
Abstract
The present invention is related to a system and method for
aiding a consumer's purchasing decisions related to grocery
products. In particular, a display and an input interface are
provided at a point-of-sale location. A processor is provided to
prompt a user for input parameters related to consumer recipe
preferences via the display. The processor receives the input
parameters from the input interface. The processor queries a recipe
database utilizing the input parameters. The processor identifies
grocery products of a recipe identified by the database query. The
processor further obtains and provides price information related to
the grocery products to the consumer.
Inventors: |
Orozco, Genaro Antonio
Fernandez; (Jalisco, MX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY
Intellectual Property Administration
P.O. Box 272400
Fort Collins
CO
80527-2400
US
|
Family ID: |
25479002 |
Appl. No.: |
09/943041 |
Filed: |
August 30, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.38 ;
705/26.62; 705/26.9; 705/27.1; 705/7.35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0625 20130101;
G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 30/0641 20130101; G06Q 30/0639 20130101;
G06Q 30/0238 20130101; G06Q 30/0206 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/27 ;
705/9 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for aiding a customer's purchasing decisions related to
grocery products, comprising: a display unit associated with a
point-of-sale location to display information to a consumer; at
least one input interface associated with said display unit to
receive information from a consumer; and said system possessing a
processor executing instructions controlling said display unit and
said input interface, said instructions including: (i) code for
receiving at least one recipe query parameter indicative of recipe
preferences of said consumer; (ii) code for querying a database of
recipes utilizing said at least one recipe query parameter to
obtain at least one query result recipe; (iii) code for identifying
grocery products associated with said at least one query result
recipe; and (iv) code for providing price information pertaining to
said grocery products to said consumer.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said instructions further include:
code for receiving purchase information from said consumer.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein said instructions further include:
code for receiving delivery information from said consumer.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said point-of-sale location is
associated with a webserver.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said instructions further include:
code for providing a map identifying locations where said grocery
products are located.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said code for receiving at least
one recipe query parameter obtains a meal budget input
parameter.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said code for receiving at least
one recipe query parameter obtains a cuisine type parameter.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein said code for receiving at least
one recipe query parameter obtains a main ingredient parameter.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein said code for receiving at least
one recipe query parameter obtains a parameter related to
difficulty of preparation.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein said code for receiving at least
one recipe query parameter obtains a parameter related to method of
preparation.
11. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a printer; and said
instructions further including code for printing said at least one
query result recipe in response to input from said customer via
said at least one input interface.
12. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a printer; and said
instructions further including code for printing a coupon to
encourage said consumer to purchase a specific brand of a grocery
product of said grocery products.
13. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a magnetic stripe
reader to receive a frequent purchaser card; and said instructions
further including code for querying a store server which maintains
records indicative of prior consumer purchases, and code for
sorting recipe query results in response to prior customer
purchases.
14. The system of claim 1 further comprising: an output interface;
and said instructions further including code for allowing said
consumer to download said at least one query result recipe to a
personal data assistant via said output interface.
15. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one input interface
is a touch screen.
16. A method for assisting a consumer in making purchasing
decisions for grocery products, comprising: providing a display
associated with a point-of-sale location; prompting a user for at
least one desired recipe characteristic via said display; receiving
input in response to said prompting via an input peripheral;
querying a recipe database to identify at least one recipe matching
said at least one desired recipe characteristic; providing said
recipe to said consumer; querying a price database to determine
price information associated with said recipe; and providing said
price information to said consumer.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising: providing a map
including location information pertaining to ingredients of said at
least one recipe.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising: printing a coupon
for a particular brand of an ingredient of said at least one
recipe.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of prompting includes
requesting a meal budget parameter.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of prompting includes
requesting a cuisine type parameter.
21. The method of claim 16 further comprising: reading a magnetic
stripe of a frequent shopper card; retrieving previous purchase
information of said consumer; and sorting presentation of recipes
to said consumer by correlating to said previous purchase
information.
22. A point-of-sale kiosk for providing purchasing information to a
consumer, comprising: means for prompting a consumer for recipe
parameters; means for matching said recipe parameters to a database
of recipes to generate result recipes; means for providing said
result recipes to said user; and means for providing price
information associated with recipes to said consumer.
23. The point-of-sale kiosk of claim 22 wherein said means for
providing said result recipes sorts said recipes in accordance with
previous purchases by said consumer.
24. The point-of-sale kiosk of claim 22 wherein said means for
providing price information includes a prompt to print a coupon.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention is generally related to kiosk to
provide recipe information and more particularly to a kiosk that
provides recipe information to consumer at a point-of-sale location
in response to recipe query parameters.
BACKGROUND
[0002] At the present time, many individuals have begun to rely on
prepared meals due to the pace of modern society and due to the
convenience of pre-prepared food. Many business professionals
typically stop at various take-out restaurants on their way home
from work. However, repeatedly dining at nondescript chain
restaurants can be quite fatiguing due to the homogenous nature of
chain restaurants. Specifically, it can be quite difficult to find
a restaurant that provides anything unique. However, many
individuals are hesitant to attempt to cook for themselves due to
their lack of experience with cooking.
[0003] Obviously, cookbooks offer a solution to this problem.
However, cookbooks do not provide the convenience that many
time-pressed individuals require. Some amount of preparation and
planning is required to prepare a meal according the instructions
set forth in a cookbook. In particular, an individual must know
exactly which products to purchase before attempting to prepare any
particular dish.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is directed to a system and method for
aiding a consumer's purchasing decisions related to grocery
products. In particular, a display and an input interface are
provided at a point-of-sale location. A processor is provided to
prompt a user for input parameters related to consumer recipe
preferences via the display. The processor receives the input
parameters from the input interface. The processor queries a recipe
database utilizing the input parameters. The processor identifies
grocery products of a recipe identified by the database query. The
processor further obtains and provides price information related to
the grocery products to the consumer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0005] FIGS. 1-11 depict exemplary kiosk display screens associated
with receiving consumer input and providing recipe information in
response to the consumer input.
[0006] FIG. 12 depicts a block diagram of a recipe kiosk according
to embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0007] The present invention is related to kiosk to provide cooking
recipes to aid purchasing decisions of busy consumers at
point-of-sale locations. Point-of-sale location is defined to mean
a location that is publically accessible where purchase of
particular products may be made. The point-of-sale location may be
associated with a physical store. Alternatively, the point-of-sale
location may be associated with a website where purchases may be
completed. Embodiments of the present invention provide a touchable
screen interface to allow consumers to enter one or several query
parameters to obtain a number of potential recipes. The consumers
may print the recipes. Additionally, the location of the
ingredients within the store may be provided via a store map.
Moreover, the total price of the necessary ingredients may be
provided to aid budgeting decisions. Likewise, coupons for
particular brands may be supplied or substitute ingredients may be
supplied to aid consumers who possess budget constraints.
[0008] In embodiments of the present invention, the recipe
information is provided to a consumer at a kiosk located in a
central portion of a grocery store. The kiosk may include a
magnetic stripe reader to accept a "frequent customer card." The
frequent customer card may be utilized to track consumer purchasing
decisions by storing purchase information in a store server. This
may allow the kiosk to obtain relevant information about previous
customer purchases to aid the selection of desirable recipes. For
example, consumer information may indicate that a particular
consumer frequently purchases microwaveable products. It may be
inferred that the consumer may prefer meals that require relatively
less preparation time. Accordingly, recipe search results may be
ordered for this consumer by the amount of preparation time (i.e.,
those recipes requiring the least amount of preparation are shown
first). However, it is advantageous to not omit any recipes on the
basis of purchase information, since a consumer may be
intentionally trying to break from traditional meals by utilizing
the recipe kiosk. Although, in certain embodiments, the kiosk is
located at a stored location, the present invention is not limited
to any particular location. Embodiments of the present invention
can provide recipe information to a consumer at any point of sale
location. For example, the point of sale location could be an
Internet website where a consumer can order groceries for delivery
to the consumer's home.
[0009] The kiosk may present an initial screen to allow a consumer
to access the various recipes. For example, the kiosk may allow a
consumer to browse as desired. In embodiments of the present
invention, the kiosk accepts a series of input parameters to
perform a database search to facilitate the consumer's search.
[0010] FIGS. 1-11 depict exemplary screen displays according to
embodiments of the present invention which utilize such a series of
input screens. The exemplary screens may be displayed by a kiosk.
Alternatively, the screens may be displayed on an Internet
browser.
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts introductory screen 100. Introductory screen
100 provides a plurality of input selection icons 101-109 prompting
the user to select between various types of cuisine such as
Italian, Mexican, Thai, and/or the like. Of course, any number of
cooking styles may be offered. In addition to types of cuisines,
other pertinent information can be gathered at screen 100. For
example, options can be displayed to indicate a preference for
meals that satisfy kosher or vegan requirements. Options can be
provided for health concerns such as meals suitable for individuals
possessing high blood pressure. Options can be provided for special
occasions such as Thanksgiving, Passover, and/or the like. The
consumer may select none, one, or several options. Introductory
screen 100 further includes a navigational icon 110 which allows
the consumer to move on to the next screen when the consumer is
finished selecting cuisine types.
[0012] Screen 200 of FIG. 2 includes a plurality of selection icons
201-206 prompting the user to select main ingredients or entree
selections (such as poultry, beef, vegetarian, pasta, rice,
seafood, and/or the like). The consumer may select none, one, or
several options. Screen 200 further comprises a plurality of
navigational icons 110, 111 allowing the consumer to go back to the
previous screen or move on to the next screen.
[0013] Screen 300 of FIG. 3 includes a plurality of selection icons
301-306 prompting the user to specify a budget range for the
particular meal ranging, for example, from under $5.00 to over
$40.00. The consumer may select none, one, or several options.
Screen 300 further comprises a plurality of navigational icons 110,
111 allowing the consumer to go back to the previous screen or move
on to the next screen.
[0014] Screen 400 of FIG. 4 includes a plurality of selection icons
401-404 prompting the user to specify the number of persons to be
served for a particular meal. The consumer may select none, one, or
several options. Screen 400 further comprises a plurality of
navigational icons 110, 111 allowing the consumer to go back to the
previous screen or move on to the next screen.
[0015] Screen 500 of FIG. 5 includes a plurality of selection icons
501-504 prompting the user to specify the level of difficulty of
the preparation of recipe. Screen 500 further includes navigation
icons 110, 111 the consumer to go back to the previous screen or
move on to the next screen.
[0016] Screen 600 of FIG. 6 includes a plurality of selection icons
601-604 prompting the user to specify preferred cooking methods
(e.g., broiling, baking, grilling, microwaving, and/or the like).
Screen 600 further includes navigation icons 110, 111 the consumer
to go back to the previous screen or move on to the next
screen.
[0017] After receiving the various consumer selections, the kiosk
performs a database query utilizing the selections as query
parameters. The kiosk may query a database at a particular store
location. Alternatively, the kiosk may query a webserver database
via the Internet. The kiosk provides a list of recipes to the
customer which satisfy the various selections. For example, the
kiosk may display list 701 of recipe titles with short descriptions
as depicted in screen 700 of FIG. 7. The kiosk may make available
all recipes which match entered criteria. Depending upon the input
parameters, the number of recipes may be quite large. Accordingly,
the consumer can scroll up and down through the list utilizing
scroll icons 702, 703. Additionally, the list is advantageously
ordered or sorted by specific criteria. For example, the list may
be sorted by entree selection or cuisine type. The list may also be
sorted by criteria inferred from previous purchase information
obtained by a frequent purchaser card as discussed above. When the
consumer locates a desired recipe, the consumer may select the
recipe's title which will act as a hyperlink.
[0018] By selecting a recipe hyperlink, the kiosk may display the
selected recipe as depicted by screen 800 in FIG. 8. The recipe, of
course, provides detailed directions 801 for making a particular
meal including various appetizers and side dishes if desired. The
consumer may utilize scroll icons 702, 703 to move forward or
backward through the recipe. Additionally, the consumer may print
the recipe to take a hard copy with the consumer by selecting print
icon 802. Additionally, the consumer may go back to the previous
screen via navigational icon 111 to select other recipes as
desired. The consumer may select price icon 803 to obtain price
information.
[0019] Screen 900 of FIG. 9 displays ingredients 901 of the recipe
with current price information 902 of the particular items for the
quantities specified in the recipe. Additionally, substitute
ingredients and/or alternative brands may also be provided to allow
the consumer to select more economical ingredients if desired. The
kiosk may be communicatively coupled to the store's server. The
kiosk may dynamically obtain pricing information 902 from the
store's server to provide this information. Also, the kiosk may
indicate sales prices may changing the color of price information.
For example, prices in red may indicate a special price.
Alternatively, screen 900 may provide coupon icons 903 which when
selected cause the kiosk to print a coupon for a particular
ingredient. By doing so, the kiosk may encourage the consumer to
purchase a particular brand of the respective ingredient. Screen
900 further provides print icon 802 to allow the consumer to print
the screen. Also, the consumer may select navigational icon 111 to
go back to the previous screen. The consumer may select icon 904 to
show a store map icon. The consumer may also select purchase
options icon 905.
[0020] Screen 1000 of FIG. 10 may be displayed when a consumer
selects purchase option icon 905 of screen 900. For example, a
consumer may select purchase/pick up icon 1004. This icon may allow
a consumer to pay for the various ingredients immediately utilizing
the account number control 1001. This may generate an order to
cause the employees of a particular store to gather the various
ingredients to be picked up by the consumer at a later time.
Alternatively, the consumer may have the various products delivered
to the consumer's address by utilizing purchase/delivery icon 1005,
address control 1002, and delivery time control 1003.
[0021] Screen 1100 of FIG. 11 provides a map of the store location.
Additionally, screen 1100 may provide location information for each
of ingredients of the recipe to allow consumers to locate the
ingredients with relative ease. The location of ingredients may be
retained in a store database. The location information may be
maintained by manual data-entry or may be updated utilizing
bar-code scanning equipment. The consumer may select print icon 802
to obtain a hard copy of the screen. The consumer may also select
navigational icon 111 to return to the previous screen.
[0022] It shall be appreciated that screens 100-1100 are merely
exemplary. Any other screen formats or content may be utilized as
desired. For example, nutritional information (calories,
cholesterol content, sodium content, and/or the like) for various
ingredients may be provided. Additionally, any other recipe query
parameters may be utilized. For example, a consumer may provide
keywords to perform recipe searches if the consumer already knows
the general type of cuisine that the consumer wishes to prepare.
Additionally, the kiosk may display the recipes in a book like
fashion. The consumer may scroll from screen to screen in much the
same manner as thumbing through a cookbook until the consumer
locates a desired recipe. At that point, price and location
information may be provided to the consumer.
[0023] When implemented via executable instructions, various
elements of the present invention are in essence the code defining
the operations of such various elements. The executable
instructions or code may be obtained from a readable medium (e.g.,
a hard drive media, optical media, EPROM, EEPROM, tape media,
cartridge media, flash memory, ROM, memory stick, and/or the like)
or communicated via a data signal from a communication medium
(e.g., the Internet). In fact, readable media can include any
medium that can store or transfer information.
[0024] FIG. 12 illustrates a block diagram of recipe kiosk 1200
according to embodiments of the present invention. Central
processing unit (CPU) 1201 is coupled to system bus 1202. CPU 1201
may be any general purpose CPU. Suitable processors, without
limitation, include any processor from the Itanium.TM. family of
processors, such as the McKinley processor, available from
Hewlett-Packard Company, or an PA-8500 processor also available
from Hewlett-Packard Company. However, the present invention is not
restricted by the architecture of CPU 1201 as long as CPU 1201
supports the inventive operations as described herein. Recipe kiosk
1200 also includes random access memory (RAM) 1203, which may be
SRAM, DRAM, or SDRAM. Recipe kiosk 1200 includes ROM 1204 which may
be PROM, EPROM, or EEPROM. RAM 1203 and ROM 1204 hold user and
system data and programs as is well known in the art.
[0025] Recipe kiosk 1200 also includes input/output (I/O)
controller adapter 1205, communications adapter 1211, and display
adapter 1207. I/O adapter 1205 connects to storage devices 1206,
such as one or more of hard drive, CD drive, floppy disk drive,
tape drive, to the computer system. Such storage peripherals may be
utilized to contain the database information associated with the
recipes to allow database queries by the various desired criteria.
Additionally, I/O adapter 1205 may connect to printer 1208 to allow
the consumer to obtain hard copies of desired recipe information.
In an alternative embodiment, I/O adapter 1205 may be coupled to a
wireless port to allow consumers to upload recipe information into
a personal data assistant (PDA) to retain their own files of the
recipe information.
[0026] Communications adapter 1211 is adapted to couple the recipe
kiosk 1200 to a network 1212, which may be one or more of telephone
network, local (LAN) and/or wide-area (WAN) network, Ethernet
network, and/or Internet network. Recipe kiosk 1200 may utilize
communications adapter 1211 to communicate with a store server to
obtain price information. Also, recipe kiosk 1200 may utilize
communications adapter 1211 to download new recipes from a central
recipe server via the Internet. Display adapter 1207 is driven by
CPU 1201 to control the display on display device 1210. Also,
display adapter 1207 obtains input information from the touchable
screen of display device 1210.
* * * * *